


The Tale of Elrond and Celebrían

by CityofFallenAngels



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-15
Updated: 2017-09-15
Packaged: 2018-12-30 01:55:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12098172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CityofFallenAngels/pseuds/CityofFallenAngels
Summary: Celebrían was an Elven noblewoman, the daughter of Celeborn and Galadriel, wife of Elrond, and mother of Elrohir, Elladan and Arwen."It was then that Elrond first saw Celebrían, and loved her, though he said nothing of it."This is the story of Elrond and his wife.





	The Tale of Elrond and Celebrían

**Author's Note:**

> This is my favourite couple of the LOTR series :)

_Spring_

Elrond had always been focused on his work. For millennia he served under Gil-Galad, his King and friend. He gained the trust and respect of people. He turned his attention to build Rivendell, a safe haven for all people. He had a laser-focus on his duty, his knowledge and work, and so needless to say love wasn’t part of his focus.

Until she arrived.

That one fateful spring day, where Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn visited him with their entourage. By entourage he hadn’t known they also meant their only child and daughter. He remembered that moment clearly, when he saw the two white horses carrying the Lady and Lord entering Rivendell, and right behind them, a sterling grey horse carrying an elleth so beautiful it took his breath away. She had silver grey hair that caught and shone in the sunlight. It flowed loose and free, her skin was milky white, and her eyes, her eyes a gentle grey, and her lips the colour of roses that kissed them.

She, shockingly, wore no elaborate clothing.In fact, compared to her lady companions behind her, hers was simple. She wore a simply grey dress and wore no ornament for a princess, yet it was her that caught his attention, not the jewellry, not the glitz, but her simple face.

And he fell in love.

And they knew each other fondly during their months-long stay. He couldn’t, wouldn’t confess to her, for war was breaking out. He loved everything about her, her laugh, her gentleness, her boldness when she argued, her humility and compassion. They spent many a moment together, and Glorfindel his good friend noticed.

“This is a surprising change for you, mellon. Why do you not tell her?”

“Tell her what?” he said almost childishly. He was blushing.

“That you love her,” said Glorfindel bluntly.

“I cannot.”

“Why?”

“What if she doesn’t love me?”

“What if she does?”

Elrond shook his head. “War is coming. I cannot-- _will not_ do this to her if I cannot make it. I could never be so unfair to her.”

Glorfindel sighed sadly. Despite being an almighty feared warrior, his friend was too kind. Elrond merely held his gaze at the elleth playing at the garden.

But there was no escaping the feelings of his heart, and after the war ended, he lost a King and his friend, but he gained a love. He confessed to her, and his joy, she had reprociated it. They were given her parent’s blessings, and soon after a long period of courtship, they married under a same beautiful spring day. All was perfect. He had finally found a piece that was missing in his life--love. She bore him three children, three beautiful children--twin sons and a daughter. He should not have been surprised by the arrival of twins, since he was a twin himself, but he remembered holding the fragile babes in his arms, so afraid of breaking them, gazing at them in awe. And then when his first daughter arrived, he thought he fell in love again.

All was well, happy, and peaceful.

But it was never meant to last.

While Celebrian was on a journey to visit her parents in Lothlorien with her entourage, they were attacked. He remembered the day crystal clear. The sounds of sudden shouts and cries from the entrance, and a severely injured elf running towards the Home. Celebrian and her entourage had been waylaid by Orcs, and Celebrian had been seized. Elrond almost knocked his table over as he flew up from his chair. He was about to seize his sword when his sons gripped his arm.

“Ada! You cannot go! Let us bring mother back for you.”

It was a dangerous situation. There were hundreds in Rivendell who relied on his protection. But Celebrian needed him.

Glorfindel took his arm. “Let them go.”

He let them go in his stead. The search took months. Her entourage had been found slain. Celebrian was lost, nowhere to be found. The only signs of her demise was a shred of bloodied silver silk on the path. But after painful months of search, they found their mother, trapped inside an orc's cave. She was alive. They took her back to Rivendell, and Elrond would never forget the sight when he went to her. She was emaciated, and her eyes had lost all signs of life, her body a canvas of purple bruises and wounds. He worked on her tirelessly day and night, forcing himself to put the husband inside of him away and the healer outside. And finally, finally, when she had lost consciousness and fallen asleep, he went back into their bedroom, and collapsed on his knees and cried. He felt such a rage, such a rage inside him that threatened to choke him. But he suppressed it all. He later found that she had been captured because they knew she was the wife of Elrond, and they had tortured her to reveal the location of Vilya. She had refused to give in throughout, resulting in horrendous punishment. He was wrought with grief. 

And Celebrian, Celebrian was never the same again. She screamed in her sleep and when awake, she wouldn’t allow him to touch her, she saw the frightening monsters everywhere. Despite his best healing, she could not heal. She was rapidly losing weight and health, and each day her condition grew worse.

“Why isn’t she healing, Glorfindel?” he whispered, even though deep down he knew already.

“She is fading.”

As a husband, he wanted, truly wanted to believe she could heal. But as a Healer, he knew all hope was lost here. Everything, everything in Arda reminded her of the endless torture she had endured under their hands. Even their beautiful Imladris. They had rescued her body, but her mind was no longer there.

“You must let her go.”

It was Glorfindel who said this, his voice filled with pain. That sentence pierced his heart like a knife.

“I can’t. If she leaves, we will never see her again."

“If she stays here, she will die.”

And it was the truth. The cruel truth. The only place she would ever possibly seek comfort and solace would be the Undying Lands, but he...his children would never see her again, not for at least a few thousand more years. Elrond's fingers curled into a fist so tight his knuckles went white. He grabbed an ink pot and threw it against the wall with an anguished cry. It shattered, ink spilling everywhere. If Glorfindel was shocked by his actions, he did not show it.

"I will get a servant to clean it."

"Leave it. Just...leave it. Please"

He would never get to see his wife, hold her in his arms, see her smile. But more than anything, he wanted a chance for her. She had improved barely, and by that he meant that she allowed him to touch her briefly. He made himself go to her, and tell her what he thought.

“You want me to sail?” Celebrian was speaking through tear-filled eyes.

Elrond's voice trembled minutely. “I want you to live.”

“I cannot stop forgetting, Elrond. Not when I'm here,” she whispered brokenly. She cupped her face with her skeletal fingers, staring through them with scared eyes. "I see them everywhere. Especially at night." 

He caressed her beautiful silver gold hair. “There is a chance for you in the Undying Lands.”

“Do you wish me to stay, Elrond?” Tears fell silently from her eyes.

“With all my heart. But I know you will never find peace here.”

"Would you force me?"

He buried his head onto her lap, and tears fell from his eyes. “I could never force you to do anything.”

 

* * *

 

She left on a winter’s day.  The Home was colder than the winter itself. Elrond stared glassily as the ship sailed into the horizon, then disappeared. The House had lost their Lady, he had lost his wife, and his children had lost their mother all in a day. And he also lost his sons. They were consumed by rage and bitterness towards the Orcs, and no amount of counselling would tear the hatred away from their hearts. They went off in search for Orcs, slaying whoever they saw. They never returned home, and if they did, they listened to no one. Arwen, heartbroken, fled to their grandmother’s home for solace. Their home was broken.

Elrond did his duty to his people. Outwardly, he remained the same stern, impressive Lord, but inside grief consumed every waking second of his life. First it was rage, then grief, and then desolation. His advisors were concerned for their Lord, but few people truly knew how deep his pain was, for he kept that same mask on. He withdrew from people, speaking little, until he did not speak at all. Glorfindel visited his lord one day when he didn’t turn up for the morning meeting. He knocked on the door. There was no reply.

“Lord Elrond? Elrond?”

Fear crept into his heart. He broke into the room, scanning it frantically. Elrond lay in his bed. His grey eyes were staring emptily at the ceiling. He looked as though he was merely asleep, but Glorfindel realised his skin was abnormally pale and he wasn’t breathing.

“No. _No!_ ”

He screamed for the Healers. How could they have not realised? He carried Elrond to the Healers. He was Fading. It took them nearly two hours to save him. Glorfindel was filled with anger at Elladan and Elrohir, and sent an order for them to return. Arwen was requested to return as well. She was the first to arrive, and flew to her father’s side. When the twins did return a few days after, both covered in blood and dirt, they both glared at the Eldar. 

“What is it, Glorfindel?”

“Your Adar is with the Healers."

It took all of Glorfindel's restraint not to yell at them. 

That got their attention immediately. “Why? What happened?”

“He is Fading.”

They were shocked.

He hissed to them, “I know you lost your mother, but if you keep this up, you will lose your Adar as well. You have been going out killing Orcs to satisfy your vengeance, but what about your home? Your family? You are far too focused on yourself! To the point that you hurt and neglect others! Do not be so self-centered!”

“Please, Glorfindel, take us to him.”

They met their father and sister and collapsed next to him. Elrond had awoken by then, and was stunned to see his sons returned.

“We are sorry, Adar. We did not know.”

“It’s alright my children. I am broken about your mother’s departure as well.”

“I won’t leave your side ever again.”

The family embraced each other tightly and didn’t let go for a long while. 

**Author's Note:**

> I love feedback!


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